Sofa bed provided with automatic mattress-clamping means



J. M. POKORNY I'AL SOFA BED PROVIDED WITH AUTOMATIC MATTRESS-CLAMPINGMEANS Jan. 27, 1953 Filed May 18 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Jan. 27, 1953 J.M. PoKoRNY ETAL 2,626,406

SOFA BED PROVIDED WITH AUTOMATIC MATTRESS-CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 18,1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Loa/5 Palme/Vy Je.

BY l MW 5 Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOFA BEDPROVIDED WITH AUTOMATIC MATTRE S S CLAMPIN G MEANS John M. Pokorny andLouis Pokorny, Jr., Ronkonkoma, N. Y.

4 Claims.

Our present invention relates generally to articles of furniture and hasparticular reference to an adjustable structure which in its closedposition forms a sofa and which may be adjusted into an open position inwhich it defines a bed.

Structures of this type are illustrated in Patents No. 2,445,241 and2,505,989. A series of hinged frame sections are adjustable from arelatively compact relation to an aligned extended relation. Thesesections include an end section which defines the seat of the sofa whenthe frame is folded closed and which swings through about 180 to anouter horizontal position when the frame is unfolded. An adjacentsection assumes a front vertical disposition when the frame is closedand swings through about 90 to a horizontal position when the frame isopened. A mattress is associated with the frame in such a way that itlies at on the extended frame when the structure is opened to define abed, and doubles upon itself when the frame is folded to define a sofa.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved meansfor helping properly to secure the mattress in position, especiallyduring the folding and unfolding of the frame. More particularly, it isan object of the invention to achieve the desired result without the useof straps or similar elements for tying the mattress to the frame. Suchstraps add to the cost of the mattress, it is an inconvenient procedureto tie them and untie them, and they frequently impede the properfunctioning of the various links and other elements of the adjustableframe. Moreover, by avoiding the necessity for straps or tying elements,it is possible to use a mattress which is entirely independent of theframe and which can be freely turned or reversed whenever desired.

In accordance with our invention, a mechanical means is provided forautomatically engaging the mattress and holding it against the endsection of the frame whenever the frame during the folding thereof isstarted on its adjustment from unfolded to folded condition, and forreleasing the mattress Whenever the frame during the unfolding thereofapproaches its fully unfolded condition.

Another object of the invention is to achieve the clamping of themattress by a board or element which in its mattress releasing positionis so disposed at one end of the frame that it may conveniently serveeither as a pillow-rest or as a footboard, as may be desired.

One way of achieving these general objects and advantages, and suchother objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointedout, is shown in the preferred embodiment of our invention illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end view of the device in closed position, certain partshaving been omitted or shown in dot-and-dash lines in order to revealthe frame in its folded condition;

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing an intermediate stage in theunfolding of the frame;

Figure 3 is a similar view, showing some of the frame sections in afurther stage of unfolding;

Figure 4 is a similar view of the elements at the outermost end of thebed, in the relationships they assume when the frame is completelyunfolded;

Figure 5 is an end View, partially broken away, taken substantially fromthe right of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a plan View of the elements shown in Figure 5.

Before entering upon a description of the present invention, the deviceas a whole will be briefly described. The device is shown in Fig. l inits closed position defining a sofa represented in dotand-dash lines,having a back 9. When fully opened (see Fig. 4, and also Fig. 5 ofPatent No. 2,445,241), the device defines a bed, the frame of which ismade up of four sections. When the frame is in closed position, as inFig. 1, these four sections assume dispositions different from theirhorizontal dispositions when opened out to form the bed; and forfacility in terminology, the four sections will be given descriptiveappellations based upon their respective dispositions in closedposition, Fig. 1. Thus, section I0, which is nearest the back 9 of thesofa and is vertical, will be referred to as the rear vertical section;section 26 which is horizontal and lower (compared with section 46,which is also horizontal) will be referred to as the flower horizontalsection; section 46 will be termed the upper horizontal section; andsection 30, which is vertical (like section l0) but which is at thefront of the sofa, will be referred to as the front vertical section.

The three sections 20, 30 and 40 are straightline members, While rearvertical section l0 is angular, having an arm l5 pivotally articulatedat I6 to a short vertical bar 6 secured to the frame of the sofa. Thelower end of rear vertical section I0 is articulated, at I2, to the rearend of lower horizontal section 20. The forward end of section 20 isarticulated, at 23, to the lower end of front vertical section 30, theupper end of which is articulated, at 34, to the front end of upperhorizontal section 4D.

The parts I0, 20, 30, 40 have been spoken of as sections rather thanmere members because each section I0, 20, 30, 40 has a companion part ormember at the respective right and left ends of the sofa. The particularsections I0, 20, 30, 40 shown in the present gures represent only thecompanion parts at one end of the sofa (the left end as viewed in Fig.5). The corresponding parts of the sections at the opposite end of thesofa have been omitted from the drawings since they are merelycounterparts of those shown.

The elements forming the sections I8, 20, 30, 40 are angle irons, asindicated most clearly at 40 in Figs. 5 and 6. Extending transverselyacross the device at suitable intervals are cross-bars, such as thatshown at I8, to hold the companion parts of each section together as astructural unit. Also extending transversely across the device (but notshown in the present drawings) is a bed spring or its equivalent tosupport the mattress 10 (shown in dot-and-dash lines). The spring may besupported in any well-known manner between the opposite members of theframe sections.

The device includes a pair of middle legs, one associated with each setof members at the left and right of the sofa. One of these legs is shownat 50. It is a plate or casting of somewhat irregular shape and isarticulated at its upper portion, at 35, to a short arm 33 rigidlysecured to section 30 and projecting from it. A frontboard 5l extendsacross the sofa and is articulated to the middle legs. The nature ofthis articulation forms no part of the present invention.

VThe device is opened by lifting the frontboard 5l and pulling itupwardly and away from the sofa. This causes a turning of rear section Iabout xed pivot I6 and brings about a raising of the lower horizontalsection 20 and also of the other sections 30 and 40. (The relationshipof the parts in this rst stage is best shown in Fig. 3 of Patent No.2,445,241.) This raising of section 20 is assisted by an elevator arm22, pivoted to section 20 at 2| and provided with a short lever arm 26whose free end is secured to an elevator tensile spring 2.

The device is then further opened by turning front vertical section 30about the pivotal connection 23 through about 90 from the verticalposition of Fig. 1 to the horizontal position of Fig. 2 in alignmentwith lower horizontal section 20; and by turning upper horizontalsection 40 through about 180 to bring it from the sofa position of Fig.1 through the intermediate positions of Figs. 2 and 3 to the bedposition of Fig. 4.

In the closed condition of the device, Fig. l, the middle leg 58 isparallel and close to the front vertical section 30, and lies betweenthis section and the frontboard l. In the fully open condition of thedevice the middle leg 50 is perpendicular to front vertical section 38,the leg having been automatically turned 90 relative to section 30 aboutits pivotal connection 35 by the linkage shown at 28, 48 and 58.

In the unfolded condition of the frame, the end section 40 is supportedby a front leg 43, it being understood that a counterpart of this leg iscarried at the opposite side of the device. The leg 43 is pivoted to thesection 40 at 42 and is actuated by member 46. This member is pivoted atits rear end 1| to the frame section 30, and at its front end 'I2 to theupper end of the leg 43. The parts are so mounted that when the frame isfolded the leg 43 lies parallel to and alongside the frame section 4u,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. lJuring the unfolding of the frame, theactuating member 46 exerts a pull upon the leg 43 at l2, tnus causingthe leg to assume the operative vertical position shown in Fig. 4 whenthe irame is compietely unfolded.

The specific improvement to which the present invention is directed liesin the provision or' a mattress clamping board extending transvei'selyacross the irame adjacent to the iree end of tne section 40. Forstructural reasons, the board 8u carries at each end a projecting arm8|. Pivoted to this arm, at the adjacent pivot points 82 and 83, are thelinks 84 and 85 arranged in side by side relation. The opposite ends oftliese links are pivoted at the adjacent pivot points 86 and 8l to theframe section 4U. Extending between one of these links, such as the link84, and the leg 43 is an actuating member 88. This member is pivoted tothe leg 43 at 89 and to the link 84 at 90.

During the unfolding of the frame, the actuating member 88 swings thelink 84 from the rearwardly-inclined position shown in Figs. l and 2 tothe forwardly-inclined position shown in Fig. 4. An intermediateposition is shown in Fig. 3. The link partakes of a similar swingingmovement.

In the closed or folded condition oi' the frame, the board 80 is heldrelatively close to the section 40, and is in fact drawn toward thelatter, thus serving to engage the mattress and to clamp it against thesection 49. As the frame approaches its fully unfolded condition, theboard 8U is transported into the relatively removed position shown inFig. 4, the mattress having been completely released.

The links 84 and 85 are of such lengths and are so arranged that whenthe board is in its mattress-clamping position it is substantiallyparallel to the frame section 40, thereby engaging the mattressfiatwise, and when the board is in the mattress-releasing position (Fig.4) it is not only oblique to the section 40 but is positioned outwardlybeyond the section 40. In this position the board 8l]- can serve as apillow-rest or as a footboard. In any case, it will be noted that themattress 'I0 is completely released and rests freely on the extendedframe.

To achieve the results indicated above, a preferred design of the links84 and 85, as shown in the present drawings, makes them substantiallyequal in length but arranges them slightly out of true parallelism.

One of the features of the invention lies in the fact that the mattressis not only automatically engaged, when the frame is started from itsunfolded toward its folded condition, but is engaged relativelypromptly. That is, the frame section 4D will have risen barely 45 fromthe horizontal when the board 80 seats itself against and clamps themattress. The extent to which the board travels during the initialclosing motion of the frame section 48 is best shown by comparing Figs.3 and 4. In Fig. 4 the links 84 and 85 are in their extremeforwardly-inclined positions. In Fig. 3 they have already swung towardthe rear, and long before the section 43 has reached the verticalposition shown in Fig. 2, the links 84 and 85 will have drawn the boardBD down against the mattress 'I8 to hold it against shifting movement.It is then retained in this position during the remainder of theadjustment of the frame into the folded condition of Fig. 1. Similarly,during the return adjustment from folded to unfolded condition, themattress is firmly held until the end section 40 approaches its fullyhorizontal disposition, and only then is the mattress fully released.

In general, it will be understood that those skilled in the art mayreadily make changes in the details herein described and illustratedwithout necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what weclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sofa-bed, a frame foldable to define a sofa and unfoldable todenne a bed, said frame comprising companion members at each sideconstituting sections, one of said sections being an end section whichdefines the seat of the sofa when the frame is folded and swings to anouter horizontal position when the frame is unfolded, amattress-clamping board extending transversely across the frame adjacentto the free end of said section, and a means for drawing said boardtoward said section when the frame is folded and moving it away fromsaid section when the frame is unfolded, said means including a pair oflinks extending side-by-side between said board and section, the linksbeing articulated to said board at pivot points lying substantially in aplane parallel with the top surface of said board, a leg pivoted to saidsection and lying along side said section when the frame is folded,means for moving said leg to a position at right angles to said sectionwhen the frame is unfolded, and an actuating member extending betweensaid leg and one of said links.

2. In a sofa-bed, a frame foldable to denne a sofa and unfoldable todefine a bed, said frame comprising companion members at each sideconstituting sections, one of said sections being an end section whichdefines the seat of the sofa when the frame is folded and swings to anouter horizontal position when the frame is unfolded, amattress-clamping board extending transversely across the frame adjacentto the free end of said section, and a means for drawing said boardtoward said section when the frame is folded and moving it away fromsaid section when the frame is unfolded, said means including a pair oflinks extending side-by-side between said board and section, a legpivoted to said section and lying alongside said section when the frameis folded, means for moving said leg to a position at right angles tosaid section when the frame is unfolded, and an actuating memberextending between said leg and one of said links, said links being ofsuch lengths and being so arranged that the swinging movements of thelinks will transport said board between a disposition substantiallyparallel and relatively close'to said section when the frame is foldedand a clisposition slightly oblique to and relatively removed from saidsection when the frame is unfolded, said links being articulated to saidboard at pivot points lying substantially in a plane parallel with thetop surface of said board.

3. In a sofa-bed, a frame foldable to denne a sofa and unfoldable todefine a bed, said frame comprising companion members at each sideconstituting sections, one of said sections being an end section whichdefines the seat of the sofa when the frame is folded and swings to anouter horizontal position when the frame is unfolded,

a mattress-clamping board extending transversely across the frameadjacent to the free end of said section, and a means for drawing saidboard toward said section when the frame is folded and moving it awayfrom said section when the frame is unfolded, said means including apair of links extending side-by-side between said board and section, aleg pivoted to said section and lying alongside said section when theframe is folded, means for moving said leg to a position at right anglesto said section when the frame is unfolded, and an actuating memberextending between said leg and one of said links, said links beingsubstantially equal in length but slightly out of parallelism so thatthe swinging movements of the links will transport said board between adisposition substantially parallel and re1- atively close to saidsection when the frame is folded and a disposition slightly oblique toand relatively removed from said section when the frame is unfolded,said links being articulated to said board at pivot points lyingsubstantially in a plane parallel with the top surface of said board. 4.In a sofa-bed, a frame foldable to dene a sofa and unfoldable to definea bed, said frame comprising companion members at each side constitutingsections, one of said sections being an end section which denes the seatof the sofa when the frame is folded and swings through about 180 to anouter horizontal position when the frame is unfolded, the adjacentsection being a front vertical section which swings through about to ahorizontal position when the frame is unfolded, a leg pivoted to saidend section, an actuating memberextending between said front verticalsection and said leg for moving said leg from a position alongside saidend section when the frame is folded to a position at right angles tosaid end section when the frame is unfolded, a mattress-clamping boardextending transversely across the frame adjacent to the free end of saidend section, a pair of links extending side-by-side between said boardand end section, the links being articulated to said board at pivotpoints lying substantially in a plane parallel with the top surface ofsaid board, and an actuating member extending between said leg and oneof said links for moving said board between a mattressclampingdisposition relatively close to said end section when the frame isfolded and a pillow-rest or footboard disposition relatively removedfrom said end section when the frame is unfolded.

JOHN M. POKORNY. LOUIS POKORNY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 463,124. Hopkins et al Nov. 10,1891 839,442 Warfel Dec. 25, 1906 1,330,990 Steiff Feb. 17, 19201,408,013 Luppino Feb. 28, 1922 2,370,890 Thomas Mar. 6, 1945 2,445,241Pokorny et al July 13, 1948 2,505,989 Pokorny et al May 2, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 496,188 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1938

